1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a folding burner apparatus which is characterized by two pivoting or folding legs, each of which is provided with a compression leg fitting welded in spaced relationship on a central burner pipe. A third leg is fixed in a sleeve or collar welded or otherwise rigidly attached to the burner pipe and spaced from the pivotable legs. The pivoting legs can be quickly and easily deployed in spaced relationship at an angle of about 120.degree. with respect to each other and the fixed leg, in order to support a pot, pan or other utensil or vessel for cooking or heating purposes. When not in use, the two pivoting legs can be folded against each other and the fixed leg for storage, by rotating the pivoting legs in the leg fittings with respect to the burner pipe and the fixed leg. The improved burner apparatus of this invention includes the burner pipe, a gas inlet line extending into the burner pipe, two foldable or pivotable legs pivotally secured to the burner pipe by means of leg fittings, a fixed leg and leg stops secured to each of the pivoting legs to facilitate uniform deployment. A cap provided with a cap orifice of selected size is fitted on the upward-turned end of the gas inlet line projecting inside the burner pipe to create a flame of desired proportions in the burner pipe. In a most preferred embodiment the improved folding burner apparatus of this invention further includes a bottom collar washer which is welded or otherwise attached to the bottom end of the burner pipe to provide a desirable flow of air into the burner pipe and facilitate more optimum operation of the burner apparatus. In another most preferred embodiment of the invention, an inlet line fitting is secured to the gas inlet line in order to secure the gas inlet line in functional position on a gas supply hose (not illustrated) connected to a source of gas such as a butane or propane storage vessel (not illustrated).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of portable folding stoves, burner devices and similar apparatus have been long known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,025,849, dated Mar. 20, 1962, to H. G. Zimmerman, discloses a "Portable Folding Stove" which includes a flat top defined by a pair of concentric rings which are connected by spaced, projecting fingers. Three legs extend downwardly from the outer ring and are foldable, with the ends of the legs supported by receptacles attached to a central burner support located beneath the concentric rings. U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,284, dated Mar. 11, 1980, to Marcel Vache, discloses "Portable Stoves" which are fueled from a replaceable, pressurized, combustible gas cartridge. The gas cartridge is secured inside a cover member supporting a burner head and provided with means for connecting the burner head to the replaceable cartridge. A pair of covers which telescopically fit one into the other, have the dual function of serving separately as sauce pans or in the alternative, as an expandable housing for storing the stove. The covers selectively telescope to a relatively greater or lesser extent in order to store the stove assembly and facilitate use of the stove. Shaped arms are also provided in the stove for use in supporting a pan on the stove. A "Backpackers Stove Apparatus" is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,058, dated Aug. 18, 1981, to William R. Lutz. The stove apparatus of this invention includes a valve burner assembly and a fuel container threaded together in direct connection, with a collapsible pot stand assembly, which includes a wind screen for protecting the flame of the burner. The pot stand assembly, valve burner assembly and fuel container fit together for compact packaging within pans used for cooking. A "Portable Stove" is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,385,619, dated May 31, 1983, to Dominic L. Casinelli, deceased. The "Portable Stove" is designed to support a stove utensil and heat the utensil with a fuel element and includes a support plate, multiple support legs pivotally mounted to the support plate and a fuel receptacle located within the support plate for receiving the fuel element and heating the stove utensils. Spacer members are also provided in cooperation with the support plate for spacing the stove utensils a predetermined distance from the upper surface of the support plate and proper heating of the utensils. U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,345, dated Jul. 23, 1985, to J. H. Christiansen, discloses a stove for supporting cooking stands and vessels which have rounded or spherical bottoms. This stove is characterized by three spaced uprights having upper ends inclined inwardly toward each other. The three uprights are preferably spaced about a heat source and the upper ends thereof terminate in a single horizontal plane. Another stove or burner apparatus which is known in the art is the burner apparatus characterized by three support legs, each of which legs is provided with a collar for mounting in rotatable fashion on a central burner pipe provided with a gas line and inlet line elbow mounted inside the burner pipe to provide the necessary gas supply. The collars are attached to the respective support legs at different heights between a pair of fixed rings welded to the burner pipe to facilitate mounting the collars in stacked, rotatable relationship on the burner pipe.
One of the problems which is apparent in prior art stoves and burner mechanisms and particularly the burner apparatus of the type having three equally-spaced, rigid support legs is that of storage, since the support legs are not usually foldable or detachable. Another problem is the difficulty of cleaning or properly maintaining such a burner apparatus, since corrosion of the iron or steel legs and burner is sometimes extensive, particularly when hot salt water is spilled from the cooker in the course of boiling seafood such as shrimp, crabs or crawfish. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved burner apparatus which is characterized by a fixed leg and two foldable or pivotable legs mounted on a central burner pipe by means of a fixed collar and fixed compression leg fittings, respectively, which leg fittings are further provided with fitting seals, the pivoting legs also having leg stops for centering the burner when the pivoting legs are deployed in functional configuration, to stabilize the legs while the burner apparatus is in use.
Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved burner apparatus which is characterized by a fixed leg and two foldable legs, each of which foldable legs is rotatably mounted in a brass compression-type leg fitting which is secured to a cylindrical burner pipe. The burner pipe may be provided with a bottom collar ring or washer which is welded to the bottom end of the burner pipe, to facilitate optimum air flow into the burner chamber and a gas inlet line projects through the washer opening and terminates in the burner pipe.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved folding burner apparatus which is characterized by a fixed leg and a pair of foldable legs provided with collars or fittings which are mounted in equally spaced relationship with respect to the fixed leg and each other on an interior burner pipe, which fittings are further provided with fitting seals adapted for engagement with the legs to selectively pivotally deploy the legs in functional and folded configuration. A leg stop is provided on each folding leg to maintain the foldable legs in approximately 120.degree. spaced, deployed configuration and the upward-turned end of the burner pipe projects through the opening in a washer welded to the bottom of the burner pipe and receives a removable inlet line cap having a cap orifice for creating a flame of proper heat and proportions.